The Helen Helps Foundation

The Helen Helps Foundation is named for and honors the lifetime efforts of Helen Smith Cliette Houey. Its initiatives and campaigns are focused in four important areas: airbag safety, educational opportunity, famine eradication and healthcare advocacy. Foundation activities include programming on air bag safety awareness and annual checks, scholarships and grants for educational opportunities, community food bank distributions, famine aid, healthcare assists and numerous charitable events geared toward all components.

Helen was a lover of people, a committed Christian, and a family focused leader with an exceptional personality. Her smile could light up a room and she was always available for her children, family, and friends with a soft heart and generous disposition. She really enjoyed working out, friendly meals, flower gardening, family gatherings and functions that supported worthy causes. Helen was her High School class Salutatorian and attended Winston Salem State University as a scholar. She was always willing to help others educate themselves, feed themselves and improve their health. Helen affected so many lives in a positive way and we are grateful to have had her for the time that she was with us.

In 2010, Helen was involved in an unfortunate accident. Her car collided with a truck and the airbag did not deploy. She suffered an aortic tear, which is fatal 95% of the time. But Helen survived, continuing to cautiously work out at the YMCA and live vibrantly. Two years later she entered the hospital for a routine test, but had a stroke from which she never recovered. The fact remains that if her airbag had deployed, she would not have suffered the aortic tear.